UK-based Victrex Polymer Solutions has introduced a new glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic for direct food contact applications meeting the current requirements of both American and European regulatory authorities.

The new Victrex Peek 90GL30BLK EU, from the company’s Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family, features many excellent properties and offers manufacturers a safe and durable alternative to materials such as metals or other plastics, a statement said.

Manufacturers and consumers benefit from the use of the new Victrex Peek, because of its ability to satisfy very demanding requirements, delivering consistent long term performance, it added.

Unlike polymers such as PEI, PPS or PPA, the excellent wear resistance, great chemical and hydrolysis resistance, good creep properties, dimensional stability and strength of Victrex Peek make it the material of choice for components subjected to high pressure steam (up to 19 bar), according to Phil Pritchard, product development manager for Victrex Polymer Solutions.

“That makes it possible for our polymer 90GL30BLK EU to help extend service life of components. And equally important, the taste stays the same.”

Victrex Peek is characterised by high resistance to chemicals, aggressive cleaning and disinfectant agents, high temperatures and steam.

“And the use of Peek can also deliver significant cost savings to the manufacturer. Compared with metals, the high-performance thermoplastic affords greater design flexibility and makes it possible to create more complex components, meeting the challenging design needs of a variety of applications,” explained Pritchard.

“Moreover, components made from Victrex Peek can be produced inexpensively by means of injection moulding, eliminating the costly post-production work required for metals. That’s one of the reasons why Victrex Peek polymers have already been successfully used in food processing or domestic appliances,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service